Refrigerating apparatus.



F. G. KEYES.

REFRIGERMINGl APPARATUS.

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MATIC BEFBIOEBATOR COMPANY,

NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

ASSIGNOE T0 NATIONAL AUTO- BEFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 19,

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. KEYES, a citizen of the Unit/ed States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In a former application for patent filed by me on March 27, 1916, Serial No. 100,379, I have shown and described a method of and apparatus for automatic refrigeration, on which the subject of this application is an improvement. In order to convey to those familiar with the art to which these inventions pertain, a clear understanding of the nature of my improvements, I may first describe generally and without special reference to its novel features, the original sys tem and apparatus and then indicate the more prominent features of the special parts for which I now seek protection by patent.

The main plan is a purely automatic system of refrigeration primarily designed for household and analogous uses and comprises a distilling chamber or vessel containing a refri erating composition made up of a soli absor ent, a solvent and a refrigerant` that is to say, ammonium nitrate water and ammonia from which the volatile constituents are driven over by the heat produced by an electricoil, into a condensing coil or chamber, whence the liquefied ammonia is directed into a refrigerating chamber until the latter is full or filled to a predetermined extent. At this point the current is shut oli from the heating coil of the distilling chamber, and the water directed from the coils of the condenser and caused to circulate in coils in or around the distilling chamber to promote the reabsorption of the ammonia by the ammonium nitrate and water therein.

All of these functions are performed and controlled automatically by the use of suitable devices for the purpose and the proper iiow of water to the distilling or condensin chamber as the case may be, and check va ves for permitting the ammonia to flow through one passage from the distilling to the condensmg chamber and through another on its return.

In the development of this system I have found room for substantial improvement. While, for example, I originally condensed Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

1916. Serial No. 115,745.

the ammonia in a coil from which it proceeded directly to the refrigerating chamber, or in a special chamber from which, at given intervals, it was delivered to the refrigerating chamber in bulk, I now deliver it from the condensing to the refrigerating chamber through a suitable expansion orifice, thus producing and taking advantage of the drop in temperature which is a consequence of the Joule-Thompson effect, and thereby delivering to the refrigerating chamber a. refrigerating liquid at lower temperature than would be permitted were the device not included in the system.

This and other features of the improved apparatus are illustrated in the annexed drawings and will be described in detail by reference thereto.

Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of the complete system.

Fig. 2. is an enlarged sectional and partly diagrammatic view of a controlling valve used in the apparatus and Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the device for delivering the ammonia to the refrigerating chamber in fine streams.

In the main diagram the numeral 1 designates such a device as a household refrigerator, in which there is located a refrigerating chamber 2. aud the object of this system is to supply this chamber with a refrigerant continuously and automatically. This result is accomplished by the following instrumentalities.

At the left of the diagram is shown a distilling chamber 3, which may be of any well known construction, and this is surrounded by an electric heating coil 4 adapted to receive energy at the proper intervals from any suitable source. such as the mains of a public system of distribution indicated by the numerals 5 and 6.

In the practical use of this system or apparatus a 'composition of ammonium nitrate. water and ammonia is placed in the distilling chamber and by the heating action of the energized coil 4 the volatiie constituents of the mixture are driven over through a pipe 7 containing a check valve 8, into a condensing chamber 9.

This condensing chamber is provided with the usual water cooling coils 10, througlh which, when ammonia is passing into t e chamber, a flow of water is maintained from a source represented by the pipe 11, through a controlling valve 12 and a pipe 13, to an outlet pi e 14.

The condensing cham er 9 is connected with the refrigerating chamber 2, throu h a pipe 15, carrying at its end any device 6, which will deliver the liqueiied ammonia to the chamber 2 through a Joule-Thompson expansion nozzle. For this purpose I secure to the end of the pipe 15, a disk 16, with two or more radial passages 17, leading from a central chamber out through the periphery and through these small passages the ammonia flows into the chamber 2, 'producing what is known as the Joulehompson eiect, that is to say a substantial drop in temperature due to the passage of the fluid from a higher to a lower pressure, since the cooling water will invariably be at a higher temperature than the interior of the re- -fri erator.

ssuming then that the distillation of ammonia is going on, the chamber 9 gradually fills with the condensed ammonia which is slowly delivered through the disk 16, into the refrigerating chamber 2, and it will be observed that the refrigerant when it enters is deprived of its latent heat of condensation so that its action is purely that of effective refrigeration. The transfer of ammonia from the distilling to the condensing chamber continues until by the loss of ammonia the temperature of the chamber 3, rises to about 100 degrees C. at which point of time a thermostatic circuit closer 18, of any ordinary and Well known construction placed in the chamber 3, closes a circuit 19, 20, from the mains 5 and 6, and thereby operates to stop the distilling and condensingof the ammonia.

his operation is effected by the following means. In the circuit 19, 20 is an electromagnet 21, which upon the closure of said circuit`attracts an armature lever 22, connected to one main by wire 23, on to a stop 24 connected by wire 2'5, to an electrolmag. net 47, and thence by a wire 27 to the other main. The magnet 26, when energized pulls over the lever 28, of the controlling valve 12, that shuts off the flow of Water from inlet 11, to the pipe 13, and the condenser coil 10, and directs the flow throu h a pi e 29, into water coils 30, in the distilling c amber.

The valve lever in the movement thus imparted to it tilts a pivoted circuit closer 31, and interrupts the circuit through wires 32, 33, and 34 to and through the heating coil 4. The circuit closer mafy be of any proper construction, but I pre er to use a glass globe with a wire 35 sealed in at the top and extending to about the level of a dcpression in the bottom of the same, into which another wire 36 is sealed. The lobe contains an atmosphere of nitrogen an the depression a smal quantity of mercury so that when the globe 1s in a vertical position,

the circuit between wire 35 is completed, but when the mercury runs out breaks the circuit.

Under the conditions thus established the strong affinity of the aqueous ammonium nitrate left in the distilling chamber, for the ammonia in the refrigerating chamber, causes the latter to pass from such chamber through a pipe 37, back to the distilling chamber through a check valve 38. As there is a similar valve 8, in the pipe 7, this is the only path for the ammonia at this time. The ammonia enters the distilling chamber 3, through a device by means of which it is finely divided and delivered in a condition in which it is more readily absorbed.

As the absorption of the ammonia goes on its level in the refrigerating chamber falls, until it finally reaches a point at which a floating valve 4() encounters a lever 41, at the bottom of the tank or chamber and closes a circuit between the metal of the apparatus and a wire 42, leading to one of the mains. This completes the circuit to the other main through wire 43, including an electro-magnet 44, and draws over the armature 22, onto a stop 45, from which runs a wire 46 to wire 27, that includes an electromagnet 26. This magnet when energized draws over the water valve lever 28, shuts off the water from the coil 30, in the distilling chamber, and directs it through the coil in the condensing chamber, and at the same time brings the circuit closer 31, to an upright position in which the circuit through the heating coil 4 is again closed.

The above description of a complete cycle of 'operation suffices to show that the apparatus is purely and continually automatic in its operation. In practice it has been found very economical and highly effective.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a refrigerating apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a distilling, a condensing and a refrigerating chamber, and a contracted orifice between the condensing and the refrigerating chambers, by which the refrigerant is liquefied and brought to a lower temperature by its passage through the same.

2. In a rerigerating apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a distillin a condensing and a refrigerating cham er, and a passage from the condenser to the refrigeratin chamber having small orifices through which the refrigerant passes gradually in fine streams.

and the mercury the globe is tilted of the depression and 3. In a refrigerating apparatus of the kind described, the combination csf means for distilling a refrigerating composition, a condenser for liquefying the same, a refrl eratin chamber and a tube connecting -lt with t e condenser provided with one or small diameter,

more orifices of Y: very delivered to the whereby the refrigerant is refrigerating chambers gradually and very fine streams.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus of the kind described, `he combination with the condenser and the refrigeratin chamber, of a connection between them esigned an ada ted t0 secure the J mile-Thompson effect in t e passage of the refrigerant from one to the other.

a refrgerating apparatus of the kind described, condenser and the a i leading the combination with the. refrigerating chamber of from one to the other pro 15 vi e at its end in the refrigerating chamber with a disk with radial passages of diameter extending from the bore o small the Pipe In testimony whereof I hereunto allx my 20 signature.

FREDERICK G. KEYES. 

